Mayor Thebolla’s message of support for the opening of Brookside Mall
The video that went viral on social media of the Brookside Mall gutted by fire still remains fresh in our memories. It was the most devastating sight in our city, alongside many other incidents of similar nature.
The unrest and looting in South Africa had a severe impact on businesses and employers in the country. It is for this reason that we are more than enchanted and grateful to witness the reopening of this mall.
I remember vividly when we came to lay the first brick towards the rebuilding of this establishment earlier this year. What looked like an impossible task has been accomplished as we witness the opening of the mall.
The July unrest had followed the devastating effects of Covid-19, which hit businesses hard. To this day, many businesses are still recovering and some have unfortunately had to close.
The resilience and hard work displayed by developer Andrew Barnes and his team has been nothing short of excellent. We continue to applaud their continuous dedication and loyalty to the people of Pietermaritzburg, despite catastrophic setbacks experienced in the past.
We will not be doing justice if we don’t extend a call to the people of our beautiful city to support the mall and also play their part to ensure that the mall remains clean, safe and the best place for the people to shop, dine, play and create lasting family memories.
The local economic development impact and job opportunities to be generated by this reopening will go a long way in mitigating the negative impact Covid-19 had on the local economy.